An area that until late 2008 was covered in a dense canopy of spruce with a ground layer of black, dead pine needles, has now the conifers have gone, a very varied vegetation of a markedly heathland nature. All three Sussex species of heather grow there and there is purple moor grass, dodder and much else.
Here is some slender St. John's-wort, Hypericum pulchrum, in the bracken:
As well as these smaller acid soil plants there are many trees and shrubs coming from seed.
The picture above shows a host of birch seedlings, which we would rather not have, with a slightly larger alder buckthorn seedling in the centre. Alder buckthorn, Frangula alnus, is scattered, but uncommon, in the High Woods and it is good to see in increasing naturally, especially as it is the only local food plant of the brimstone butterfly (one of which was on the wing here last week).
